Heathrow Airport charges £7 every time a vehicle enters a terminal drop-off area, up from £5 on 1 January 2026. It applies at all four terminals (T2, T3, T4 and T5) and is recorded by number-plate (ANPR) cameras. Enter a second time and you pay again. The previous £5 rate is no longer in force. Here is the full rule, the exemptions and how to pay before the fine kicks in.
The 2026 rate
- Charge: £7 each time you enter a terminal drop-off area, all four terminals.
- Time: Heathrow charges per entry, not per minute, and publishes no timed tiers. The zones are for dropping off only: no pick-ups or waiting are permitted, and unattended vehicles may be towed.
- Enforcement: ANPR cameras at every entry and exit. There are no barriers and no payment booths on site.
- Effective date: 1 January 2026, when the rate increased from £5.
How to pay (and the 24-hour deadline)
Payment is online or by phone, not at the airport. You can pay:
- In advance, by pre-paying for one or more drop-offs (prepaid funds last 12 months), or set up autopay.
- On the day, after you have left the forecourt.
- By midnight the day after your visit. This is the hard deadline.
Miss the midnight-following-day deadline and you get an £80 Parking Charge, reduced to £40 if paid within 14 days. There is no ticket machine and no way to pay in the drop-off zone itself; pay online or on 0330 008 5600. Always pay within 24 hours, even if you are still on holiday; you can pay from anywhere with an internet connection.
Exemptions
- Blue Badge holders: can get a 100% discount, but you must apply for a Blue Badge account at least 7 days before your next visit, then confirm each visit in your account in advance or by midnight the day after.
- Two-wheeled motorbikes, roadside recovery vehicles, buses and coaches: 100% discount if recorded in that category at the DVLA.
- Emergency service and military vehicles: exempt automatically.
- Taxis and private-hire vehicles: not exempt. Black cabs and private-hire cars pay the £7 each time they enter.
The drop-off trap most people fall into
Travellers think the £7 covers “the full visit”. It does not. The £7 applies every time you enter a drop-off area. If you drop someone off, leave, then come back five minutes later because they forgot something, that is a second £7 charge. Likewise on collection: every visit to the forecourt is a separate £7 charge, even if it is the same calendar day.
What changed on 1 January 2026
The previous rate was £5 per entry (introduced in 2021). On 1 January 2026, Heathrow raised the charge to £7. Heathrow announced the change in late 2025 as a Conditions of Use decision, citing forecourt congestion and operational costs.
Heathrow now sits mid-table: below Gatwick and Stansted at £10, above Manchester's cheapest tiers. Most major UK airports raised their drop-off charges in 2025-26; see our UK Airport Drop Off Charges 2026 pillar guide for the full national comparison.
How Heathrow compares to other UK airports
| Airport | Drop-off charge | Time limit |
|---|---|---|
| Heathrow (LHR) | £7 | per entry |
| Gatwick (LGW) | £10 | 10 min |
| Stansted (STN) | £10 | 15 min |
| Luton (LTN) | £9 | 12 min |
| Manchester (MAN) | £6.50 | 10 min |
| Bristol (BRS) | £8.50 | 10 min |
| Birmingham (BHX) | £7 or £8 (the airport's two pages differ) | 15 min |
| East Midlands (EMA) | £8 | 10 min |
| Leeds Bradford (LBA) | £8 | 10 min |
If you forget to pay
- You will receive a Parking Charge in the post.
- The standard charge is £80, discounted to £40 if paid within 14 days of issue.
- If unpaid after 28 days, the penalty escalates and may be passed to a debt-collection agency.
- You can appeal if you genuinely paid on time or had a Blue Badge discount in place. Keep the payment confirmation email.
Five things to do if you are dropping someone off at Heathrow
- Set a phone reminder to pay the £7 before midnight the next day. Do this BEFORE you drive home; it takes 60 seconds.
- Drop and go. Waiting and pick-ups are not permitted in the drop-off areas.
- If you have a Blue Badge, apply for the discount at least 7 days before your visit.
- If you are likely to need a second pickup or drop-off, factor in another £7 per visit.
- If you are the one flying, booked parking means nobody has to use the forecourt at all.
The honest one-line answer
The Heathrow forecourt costs £7 every time you drive in, so a forgotten bag or a collection later doubles it. If you are the one travelling, check what parking costs first: our London Heathrow Airport parking page shows live prices for your dates.
Plan the rest of your Heathrow trip
- For parking, see our Cheapest Heathrow Airport Parking in 2026.
- For routes and terminal access, see Driving to Heathrow Airport.
- For lounges, see Heathrow Airport Lounges 2026.
Heathrow Airport drop-off: frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to drop off at Heathrow Airport?
£7 every time you enter a terminal drop-off area, from 1 January 2026, at all four terminals (T2, T3, T4 and T5), up from the previous £5 rate.
How do you pay for Heathrow drop-off and what is the deadline?
Pay online or by phone, in advance or after you leave, by midnight the day after your visit. Miss it and you get an £80 Parking Charge, reduced to £40 if paid within 14 days.
Does the Heathrow drop-off charge apply to all terminals?
Yes, all four terminal forecourts (T2, T3, T4 and T5), enforced automatically by ANPR cameras.